Here’s my fantasy premier league imaginary wildcard as at gameweek 30. Just to be clear this is not a team picked for gameweek 30 exclusively its assuming I was using my wildcard now so takes in to account forthcoming fixtures
- Bunn
- £4.2
- Easily the best value cheap home rotation or back up keeper and with Ruddy still on an unknown return date the gametime security still looks good. Norwich despite only having the 12 best home defence in underlying stats have the ability to keep clean sheets which defy’s those stats.
- Szczesny
- £5.3
With the double gameweek in GW33 coming up its where you want your Arsenal defence coverage for their 2 home games. the sagna injury gibs v monreal and who knows whats going on in selection of CB then Szczesny looks a secure option for coverage
- Evans J
- £5.6
- If I hadn’t decided on Szczesny as the GK for Arsenal coverage I would have gone for De Gea. An improving defence with 4 clean sheets in a row and unless you want to pay £0.6m more for Rafael Evans looks the best value to me. Can chip in with the odd goal as well.
- Demel
- £4.0
- Probably the best defence in underlying stats out of the teams with value defenders even if the fixtures aren’t great. Seems to have held his place despite some shocking defensive performances as is useful coming forward despite only 1 assist this season.
- Dawson
- £4.6
- £4.6m for a defender in a team with the 5th best home underlying stats and an away defence only bettered by Man City is just ridiculous value. Fixtures are the only negative but that should be secondary to the value
- Nastasic
- £5.4
- The City defence is the best in the league without question. The most clean sheets the least goals conceded, the best underlying defensive stats in particular for away games. coverage should be a priority and although Zabaleta would be my first pick for value I’ve gone for Nastasic. He doesn’t have the security of Zabaleta but the £0.8m difference is worth it in my mind.
- Wilson
- £3.9
- The Stoke defence has recently ad its problems most notably 12 games without a clean sheet. However lets not forget there were 9 before that and for £3.9m that’s good value if it suddenly recitfys itself as well as filling in a reserve position at minimum price.
- Townsend
- £4.4
- The cheap midfielder of choice now that Puncheon has security questions over his place in the team although after 3 games its questionable how secure his place is in the team especially away from home. However QPR have some reasonable fixtures and 16 points in his last start is worth a punt. Maloney of Wigan and Schneiderlin have more security at a slightly higher price.
- Michu
- £8.1
- An interesting one at the moment and certainly one that is a key decision for fantasy premier league managers. In his last 9 starts he has only scored in the home game against QPR. He also is in a Swansea team that has the worst fixtures of an team virtually to the last game of the season. That’s made worse by the fact that his goals often come from the poorer teams not the better teams. However I’m making the case to keep him based on the fact that he’s 3rd in the last 6 gameweek underlying shooting stats and 5th in the last 3 gameweeks so hes still getting the chances just not hitting the target. This will turn around in my view and the goals will return. However I said that about Nolan and it never did but I’m keeping the faith with Michu at the moment.
- Walcott
- £9.0
- Apart from Bale the best midfielder at the moment. 2nd in the last 6 gameweek underlying shooting stats and 4th in the last 3 gameweeks. Still playing as a virtual striker even with Giroud playing. Arsenal also have the best next fixtures of any team and a double gameweek in GW33 where he will undoubtedly be the favourite for the captains armband.
- Mata
- £9.7
- Another key decision. Despite an amazingly consistent return % he’s completely fallen off the underlying stats radar as far as shooting is concerned. The WBA stats were ok but no returns and its now 2 in a row which in itself isn’t a panic but coupled with the underlying stats is cause for concern. However the next 3 games mean I’m going to hold fire before dumping him. Home to West Ham, Away to Saints and Home to Sunderland is just too good to dump him for and you just have to hope that the rotation curse doesn’t hit him too hard
- Bale
- £10.4
Best midfielder at the moment. An essential player fixtures or not. Currently leader in the last 6 gameweek underlying shooting stats and 3rd in the last 3. 6 returns in his last 6, 4 of which were double figures which is just ridiculous.
- Van Persie
- £13.3
- Another conundrum, fallen out of the last 6 underlying shooting stats which is amazing given his form and that some one like Jay Rodriguez is in them. Still returned in his last 3 as has the ability to produce assists and goals and just doesn’t seem to need the shooting to goal ratios others do. There’s just too much quality for me to dump him now
- Suarez
- £10.8
- What can you say about this man. Double figure returns in his last 3 games and top of the season underlying shooting stats and 2nd in the last 6 gameweeks plus top in chances created in both time frames. Pretty good fixtures as Liverpool are 4th in the next 6 gameweek fixture ease and he seems to have weathered the Sturridge transfer. The underlying stats and the returns are just too good to dump for me even though there is a strong statistical case to save a load of money by having Sturridge as your Liverpool attacking coverage.
- Benteke
- £7.1
- 3rd in the last 6 underlying stats and with a fixture ease ranking of 6th in the next 6 games plus 7 goals and an assist in his last 9 games he’s the best of the midrange strikers at the moment although Lukaku is also a great option being 4th in the last 6 stats and top of the last 3. However Lukaku doesn’t have the fixtures that Benteke does which gives him the edge.
- Hope that gives you some food for thought in your choice for fantasy premier league gameweek 30
